Rob Clymo: Columnist - Tech & Gadgets
Wednesday, 20 August 2008
The Clymo Brief: Finding top iPhone apps
Read more from columnist Rob Clymo here

Buying an iPhone 3G is one thing, but it’s the software you can run on it that’ll make your new purchase really come alive.

But despite an explosion of new apps covering everything alphabetically from books through to the weather, there’s just no pleasing some people.

Every time I go window-shopping around this bulging section of the iTunes Store, I come across reviews from people whingeing about how much they’ve paid for their programs.

That’s fine if you’ve been daft enough to buy the $999.99 I Am Rich option (a glorified screensaver depicting a large red gem), which was nothing more than a ‘work of art with no function at all’ according to its creator.

But there’s tons more stuff to choose from and much of it ranges from between just 59p and six quid. Not exactly credit crunching stuff is it?
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Now, plenty of people, me included, have had a good moan about the shortcomings of the new iPhone 3G. Features like the poorly performing camera and rather clunky Bluetooth functionality are disappointing. But there are also plenty of positive things you can say about the revised device from Apple. And most of that centres around these natty programs you can run on it.

Mega download
It was reported that over 10 million apps were downloaded from the App Store during the course of its inaugural weekend. Since then, loads of new ones have been added, although only after Apple has approved them. The only problem with that is deciding which ones are worth a look and which are best avoided.

What are your favourite apps for the iPhone 3G? Let everyone know on the message boards.
Apple took the I Am Rich option down from their App Store after a total of eight people bought it, even though it didn’t actually seem to be doing anything wrong apart from being a bit crass.

The rather silly PhoneSaber application, which turned your iPhone into a Star Wars style lightsaber went the same way. But at least that was free. So we’ve seen some tat, but there’s some great stuff in the App Store too.

Pay your way
That’s why I can’t quite fathom people moaning about some of the sub-£6 offerings that are available. Software developers have to make a living. Maybe we should pay what we think something is worth? That would be interesting. I live near a restaurant that adopted the very same policy. They’ve become busier than ever as a result.
You go in, stuff your face and then make your own decision on how much the bill should be. Apparently, customers still stump up roughly what they would have been charged on the menu anyway. I just wonder what the tips are like…

What are your favourite apps for the iPhone 3G? Let everyone know on the message boards.

Let’s not forget the developers who create these apps have to jump through a series of frustrating hoops to get their product to market. For starters, anyone can create their own app by downloading the Software Developer Kit (SDK) from Apple.

However, you then have to be approved by them and pay a $99 registration fee. You also have to agree to comply with the rather convoluted Apple regulations.

Success stories
Even if you get all the way through this process, your app is accepted and it gets made available through iTunes and the App Store, Apple takes 30% of revenue from sales.

It might be worth people remembering all this next time they decide to have a pop at the poor developer who produced their latest purchase. Personally, I think the App Store boasts plenty of software success stories.
Try WikiMe, which at just 59p is an absolute steal. It allows you to enter a location or post code and then get lots of information relevant to that area. Vicinity, at £1.79 offers a more powerful variation on the theme.

And ditch that curled up copy of the London Underground map by downloading Tube London City, which is pricier at £5.99 but perfect for getting around the capital.

What are your favourite apps for the iPhone 3G? Let everyone know on the message boards.

Mobile Flickr is a must-have if you’re into sharing your photos online. The capacity for geotagging each and every shot (allowing you to view map locations of where they were taken) is an excellent feature.

Social networking
Facebook devotees will also find the iPhone app a boon alongside the likes of Twitter and the various incarnations of popular Instant Messaging tools. All enable quick and easy social networking on the go.

There are tedious distractions as you click your way round the App Store though. Things like the iPint app provides a free and completely useless way to pass away a few minutes and the rubbish German BeerCounter will help you keep track of your intake.

But you’re much better off spending a few quid (£5.99) and getting Band, which has everything needed to create your very own jam session.
There are oodles of games too. Super Monkey Ball has been raved about, but you’ll also find everything from Texas Hold’em and Solitaire through to the high jinks of Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D and a dazzlingly retro Pac-Man.

Speed freaks
Gameloft’s Platinum Sudoko is a good bet too. Speed freaks, meanwhile, should investigate the motorcycle mayhem that can be had from Wingnuts Moto Racer (£5.99). It’s great fun.

I also like the simplicity of Bubbles, a freebie app that allows you to manipulate and pop frothy suds in a very therapeutic, stress relieving fashion. Elsewhere, you’ll find everything from phrasebooks to calorie counters crowding around your screen via a sea of irresistible icons all bursting with colour.

Yup, I’ve got a good feeling about the Apps Store and the way it’s growing, almost organically, by the day. And, judging by the way the tills are ringing, so has Apple…


Recent columns from Rob Clymo:
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Review: Nokia N96
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All Rob Clymo's columns for Tech & Gadgets

Rob Clymo is a journalist employed on a freelance basis by Microsoft. The views in this article are those of the author and not of MSN or Microsoft. Microsoft is the publisher and owner of MSN Tech & Gadgets.